


Loss of Translation

by Mochas N Mayhem (KoohiiCafe)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-16
Updated: 2012-08-16
Packaged: 2017-11-12 07:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/488394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KoohiiCafe/pseuds/Mochas%20N%20Mayhem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two confused pairs of eyes met as what had been a perfectly valid conversation descended into gibberish, and instantly Buffy knew one thing. The Doctor was gone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loss of Translation

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** Loss of Translation  
>  **Author:** Koohii Cafe  
>  **Rating:** General Audiences  
>  **Crossover:** BtVS/Doctor Who  
>  **Disclaimer:** Since I am a poor chickadee with no wealth to speak of, I think it's safe to say that neither BtVS nor Doctor Who are mine. ^^;  
>  **Written for:** [TtH](http://www.tthfanfic.org/) [August Fic A Day Challenge](http://twistedshorts.livejournal.com/438159.html)  
>  **Summary:** _Two confused pairs of eyes met as what had been a perfectly valid conversation descended into gibberish, and instantly Buffy knew one thing. The Doctor was gone._

" _Bal vahe mai dalga eck siva, eck rah kalinga gaiblech!_ "

Two confused pairs of eyes met as what had been a perfectly valid conversation descended into gibberish, and instantly Buffy knew one thing.

The Doctor was gone.

Her first instinct probably should have bordered on frantic worry, because if the Doctor was gone, then she was stuck here, but the worry was overwhelmed by an on so familiar groan which held a tinge of furor. He was gone, off without her, and she'd been left alone on an alien planet where she very completely did _not_ speak the language. Which hadn't been a problem until the TARDIS has vanished along with her Doctor, taking her mental connection and powers of translation with her. Across the table, Labeeba's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, I know," Buffy sighed, futile as it was. Her friend wouldn't know English any more than Buffy knew Klakistai. "He's going to get it when he gets back."

" _Visyan kluthu heim naima faaah dan vilya eck? Bal liawe tureg heim bal nuwhou heim makec keinlu, bal reawsu! Rah heim gagawai?_ "

"That sounded suspiciously like anger, Babs." A bit of wry amusement laced her voice as she arched an eyebrow at the redhead. The other woman let out a frustrated sigh in response and ran long fingers through her spiked locks, her head turning to one side. It was rare to see the quiet scholar in such an uproar, and while it was amusing to listen to her rant in English, she had to admit it was funnier to listen to the same crazy fast talking in Labeeba's own language. Which was why she hadn't been able to resist the hated nickname.

" _Bal mianke rah_ mai _Babs, rah_ Labeeba _._ " Grey eyes narrowed, letting the blonde know that her friend knew _exactly_ what she was doing, and how much trouble she was in if she kept it up. " _Dan fief eck piyke eip, bal liawe mai sisva eck tureg heim keinlu najhai heim makec keinlu._ "

"Sorry, I didn't get that," Buffy teased, her smile turning innocent sweet. Not that it would fool Labeeba, but that was the point, wasn't it? The loud huff the 45th century human exhaled, combined with an eyeroll, needed no translation. Score one for Buffy! 

" _Faaah dethulu dan gaugh, Buffy. Bal mai teh ishi pyatal nen un laptail hyver mai ishi sailse kalinga bal gainagai._ "

"Okay, yeah. I really _didn't_ get that." Buffy's nose crinkled at the reality of her situation. Yes, she could understand the _tone_ her friend used, but that was about it. Something like sympathy crossed through the other woman's grey eyes, and after a moment she shook her head and raised her hands, the universal symbol for surrender. Returning the look, Buffy eyed the remainder of her second breakfast- traditional for those native to Klakistai, a tradition she gladly embraced when they visited Labeeba- and pushed it to one side. There was more important things to get sorted out than food, at the moment. As if she'd read her mind, Babs' pale hand lowered to fish around in a pocket of her robe for a moment, and when she raised it again, she held up one of her many little devices. " _Please_ tell me that's some kind of magic translator?"

" _Rah mai dalga eck rah pohyai rof, nanda rah lyaise._ " And suddenly, Labeeba was smirking, somewhat wickedly. Well, that _had_ to be good news, translator or not. " _Bal dan eck liawe_ faithlou _teh Leaher makec keinlu._ "

"Sounds good to me!" And apparently enthusiasm translated just as readily as mischief, because Babs' smirk widened before gesturing for one of her servants to clear off the table.

The next few hours passed in a rush of miscommunication, charades, and work, as the genius redhead led Buffy as best she could in constructing some kind of bigger device from the smaller one. The slayer didn't have a clue what they were building, but she trusted her friend to know what she was doing, and soon enough- or maybe too soon, since it was starting to get entertaining to watch Babs get frustrated by trying to tell Buffy how to help without speaking each others' languages- they were finished. When the native Klakistai finally, excitedly, hit the red button on the bigger device, Buffy found herself not entirely surprised by the familiar whooshing noise that filled the air as an equally familiar blue box faded into existence. Both women exchanged a glance as a loud thump sounded inside the TARDIS, and a moment later, a familiar head poked out the front door, long brown bangs hanging heavily across his confused eyes.

"Buffy?"

"If you _ever_ do that to me again, I'm burning your bowties. _All_ of them. Including that closet full of them in the back of the TARDIS that you don't think I know about."

"And I'll help her." The Doctor all but cringed under the glare from both women. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to tell Buffy how to do _anything_ in the lab on a normal day, much less when she _can't understand your language_?"

"But- River! There was a message-"

"River would help me burn them too."

"I-"

"And so would Amy. Do you _want_ me to tell Amy and River that you left me stranded on a planet where no one speaks English, _without_ the TARDIS?"

"Right. So- would you like to go help me save River?"

"Let's."


End file.
